


Being With You Gets Me That Way

by mcgarrygirl78



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, Drama, F/M, post-episode
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-14
Updated: 2016-05-14
Packaged: 2018-06-08 08:17:43
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6846706
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mcgarrygirl78/pseuds/mcgarrygirl78
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This was their night...nothing was going to ruin it for her.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Being With You Gets Me That Way

**Author's Note:**

> I hate what happened to Toby and it didn't fit into my universe so I changed it...the beauty of fanfic. One of these days I will get around to writing a not so angsty CJ/Leo story about the election. I promise.

She stripped off everything, leaving it in the middle of the floor. It did not matter where the clothes fell…that was one of the few beauties of being alone. Another CD made by Nora went into the CD player. Get It Poppin' by Fat Joe and Nelly blasted through the speakers. CJ checked the volume as she started dancing around the bedroom. She had to shake off this day; it was getting harder to do. The leak investigation was over and Toby Ziegler had resigned his position as White House Communications Director. He had not been the leak, though he admitted to CJ that he had spoken to Greg Brock privately after The Times reporter had the info.

Judd Monroe was the source. He was the senior advisor and White House liaison for Secretary Hutchison. The Secretary immediately fired Monroe…he was officially persona non grata at the DoD. They would persecute him as a lone gunman but CJ doubted it was all over. Toby resigned in disgust after the treatment of what he believed to be trusted and valued members of the staff by the President of the United States. CJ practically became a pariah in the Oval Office, impeding her ability to do her job. Annabeth left to help Leo; Josh and Donna were gone; it was all too much. They needed to stick together more than anything now.

The situation sickened Toby; making him moodier and moodier. Nora was beside herself, and a few days from entering the final trimester of a stressful pregnancy. The resignation did not come as a shock to those in the know. While he never had a powwow with the remaining Senior Staff, they all knew he was unhappy. Even unhappier than the rest of them…and no one was partying hardy right now. At least the majority of the leak investigation was over, Greg Brock was out of jail and once again, there to get on CJ's nerve, and only the normal stresses of trying to run the country were causing CJ to experience hair loss.

She had not had her cycle since the Democratic National Convention. After seven weeks, she took Nora aside and they made an impromptu trip to Walgreen's. She was not yet 40, being pregnant was not entirely out of the realm of possibility. CJ had stopped taking the pill in May, having experienced the ultra rare side effect of a heart murmur. She had enough problems as White House Chief of Staff; she would not add cardiac arrest to that list. Enough of that happened in this Administration to last a lifetime.

Donna called her a few days ago and said Lou whatever her name was hired her for the Santos campaign after they did a major housecleaning. She promised CJ this was not about Josh. Their first disastrous meeting was well known, and Lou hired Donna unbeknownst to her former boss. This was about her needing work and realizing she was damn good at campaign and administration strategy. CJ believed her, telling her if they won she still wanted Donna in her office…she wanted her back at the White House now but it would do nothing but zap the life out of her.

"I know working for the First Lady sounds a lot more prestigious than working for the Second Lady, but…"

"Don't be crazy CJ, didn't we all make a promise to stick together a long time ago. Too many problems have been broken. I am still on your side, just in spirit right now. Want me to keep an eye on Leo when he is around and report back to you?"

"Damn right…keep an eye on Annabeth too. Congratulations sweetie. I will talk to you soon."

There was a knock on her bedroom door and CJ turned down LL Cool J.

"I'm naked; don't come in unless you want a show."

She grabbed the closest bathrobe to her, which happened to be Leo's, and opened the door. Bill greeted her with a small smile.

"Good evening Mrs. McGarry. Sorry to disturb you but it is time for the nightly sweep."

"Go for it. I'm just going to run a bath."

As Bill sniffed around the bedroom, CJ went into the bathroom and started the water. She poured two capfuls of peach bubble bath in and added extra bags of herbal bath salts…she definitely needed to relax tonight. In the bedroom again, CJ switched from Jay-Z to Diana Krall.

"That is certainly a big musical leap Mrs. McGarry." Bill said, coming out of the closet.

"Are you ever going to call me CJ?" she asked. "I call you Bill all the time, and we have known each other forever. I could call you Billy if you want. Are you a William?"

"Yes ma'am, I am a William. Only my nana calls me Billy. Calling you anything other than Mrs. McGarry reeks of unprofessionalism and that is not something you need right now ma'am."

"OK. I will stop harassing you one of these days I promise."

"Oh no ma'am, this is the highlight of my day."

Bill cracked a rare full smile and CJ could not help but laugh. She wondered how she still had it in her.

"Hey, will you still be my body man if I become the Second Lady of the United States?" she asked.

"Agent Butterfield may choose to move me elsewhere…I don't get a say in those decisions. Anyway, you may not be Second Lady and then you won't have me at all. The sweep is clear. Enjoy the rest of the evening Mrs. McGarry."

"Goodnight Bill."

He left and CJ took a deep breath. She would have to talk to Ron. If she had to the Vice-President's wife CJ would at least make sure that she was only surrounded by the people she trusted…there would be no Hutchisons on her team. Dropping the robe again, CJ grabbed her half-full glass of dry apple wine and the cigarettes she sent Jack to the store for earlier. It was time to shake off the day CJ McGarry style. The phone rang before CJ sank into the tub; it sent her rushing back into the bedroom.

"Hello."

"Are you alright? You sound a bit out of breath."

"I was getting ready to get into the tub; you got me mid-crouch. Remind me where you are tonight…I'm seriously losing track."

"Phoenix tonight. Then Dallas, followed by Atlanta. I will be back in DC on Monday."

"Four more days." CJ replied dully as she walked back into the bathroom and sank into the tub.

"Why are you sighing?"

"I just got into the tub Leo." CJ said in an exasperated tone. "Hold on please."

She put the phone on the floor and took a couple of deep breaths. The McGarrys had lived their lives recently via ten minute phone calls. So many calls that Oliver Babish questioned what they talked about. She certainly did not dignify it with a response. Even if she had been the leak, whatever she discussed with her husband was privileged…CJ learned that line a long time ago. This was their night…nothing was going to ruin it for her. She had to get herself in check. Clearing her throat, she reached for the phone again.

"Hello."

"I miss you baby." Leo said.

"I miss you too. Tell me how your days have been."

"Busy. Speeches, the press, Annabeth. I'm starting to question my…"

"Don't you say that to me Leo McGarry; don't you dare. Not after the hell I have been through. Keep it to yourself, OK?"

"Yeah."

There was a minute or two of silence. The need for her to touch him was palpable as CJ listened to her husband breathe.

"How are things with Annabeth?" CJ asked.

"Fine." He took a deep breath. "How can you tell if someone is harboring feelings for you?"

"Why would you ask me that?"

"Just making conversation. Baby, Annabeth is very strange."

"Of course she is, but she is excellent at her job. There have been no major mishaps with the press since you stop being a control freak and let her really do her job."

"I know, and don't think I just let the control freak thing slip. But the more time I spend with her…she rubs me wrong."

"How much damn time are you spending with her? She better not be rubbing you at all."

"If we win, I am not bringing her in."

"Don't be premature Leo." CJ replied.

"In reference to what? The election is in less than two months and the polls only have Vinick with a weak five point lead. Josh thinks if we…"

"Stop it!" she exclaimed without meaning to. "I am not talking politics tonight. Damn Leo, we used to have things to talk about."

"We still do baby." His tone was wounded. "Are you going to Ohio to see your dad this weekend?"

OK, that was not what she wanted to talk about either.

"You have got to be kidding me. I'm not…Leo maybe we should…"

"This is not going as I wanted Claudia Jean."

"I just want you to come home. The children miss you and I am tired of waking up and sleeping alone."

"I had a dream about you last night." Leo said.

"Liar."

CJ lit a cigarette, drawing her knees out of the water.

"No seriously." Leo laughed. "It was one of those sexy dreams."

"Ah, one in which I show up with very little clothing."

"Pretty much. You surprised me in some random hotel. It was wonderful."

"Yeah? What did I do?"

"You let me watch baby…and I enjoyed every minute of it."

"I just bet you did. What were you doing while you watched Leopold?"

"Touching myself."

Leo's voice was slightly embarrassed. It was not as if he had never done that in front of CJ, but he never liked to talk about it. Leo was old school…men did not discuss that sort of thing.

"Mmm, did it feel good?"

"It did."

"How good?"

"So good, there was a bit of a mess this morning. And there is always the possibility of a story, depending on how talkative housekeeping is."

CJ laughed, putting her cigarette out.

"I can see it now; Democratic Vice-President candidate a real jerkoff. God, what happened to the days when a man could masturbate and just keep it to himself?"

Leo laughed too.

"Good one Claudia Jean. How are you really, baby?"

"I don't know. I am just going in and trying to do my job. We have Will back in the office with Toby gone…Sam cannot do it alone. Putting him in front of the press would be like putting a kid in a lion's den."

"Yeah. I talked to Toby. He says you are not speaking to him."

"You better stop while you are ahead Leopold. Toby and I will be fine; you know what happens when you butt in on other people's behalf."

"He did not desert you CJ." Leo replied firmly.

"Do not involve yourself from hundreds of miles away. We are going to be fine here"

"OK. I asked him to be my Chief of Staff."

"What?" CJ sat up some, splashing a bit of water over the tub and onto the floor. "That surprises me."

"He did not do anything illegal. Anyway, it is not a guaranteed job as of today. He told me he got seven college offers…tenured jobs."

"Yeah. Nora says he is calmer, happier. That is all I can ask for. What was happening there was killing him and we all saw it. He had to save himself. Damn, I wish you were here tonight."

"Me too CJ. I want to put my arms around you so badly. I had to tell Tim yesterday that I would not be back in town for his baseball game."

"He told me." CJ replied.

"Should I bring him a toy or something from the road?"

"No, you never have to bribe your son. The second you walk through that door you know all is forgiven. I will be there, Mitch will be there, hell we will drag the whole damn West Wing if we need to. He will be supported, and I am doing my best to keep the press far away."

"I should be there." Leo mumbled.

"Hey, you don't have to say it like I don't know that. You're damn right you should be. But you won't be, and we just work from there."

She got out of the tub, quick dried herself, and wrapped up in Leo's robe.

"I am wearing your bathrobe." She whispered.

"Yeah? You probably look so sexy."

"I doubt it. I feel like shit Leo, really I do. I'm going to get a deep tissue massage and facial tomorrow. I think I can leave Cliff Calley for three hours or so. Come back and have the Republicans running the Oval."

Leo laughed.

"I think Clifford can handle it for a few hours. You need some "you" time."

"Please, what is that pray tell? I'm the mother of two toddlers, the White House Chief of Staff, and I just lost one of my right hand men. It is kind of hard for Nora to do the Bette Davis hungry tigress bit with that bun in the oven. Not even mentioning that I want to keep her stress and blood pressure levels down." CJ sighed. "Why are we talking about work? There has to be something for us to talk about."

She flopped on the bed, propping the pillows higher so she could relax.

"We could get back to how you look in my bathrobe." Leo replied.

"There has to be something for us to talk about." CJ repeated.

"I wish I was there with you."

"But you're not."

"Still, I wish I was."

"Yeah."

"Are you ever going to forgive me?" Leo asked.

"For what are you seeking forgiveness for this time Leopold?"

"Hurting you."

"Which time?"

"CJ!"

"What!"

"I don't want to fight baby. I am far away, I miss you so much, and I don't want to fight."

There was silence again. CJ drained her wine and listened to the crickets outside her open window. Would they even be allowed to open the windows at the Naval Observatory or would it be similar to living in a fishbowl.

"Leo?"

"Yeah?"

"If I become Second Lady I want to keep Bill. Make sure Ron does not send him somewhere else…Sylvie too. New people are fine, but I want my trusted agents."

"I'll see what I can do." He replied.

"No, make it happen. Do this for me."

"I'll make it happen. I love you."

"Me too. I should get some sleep; you are a couple of hours behind me."

"OK. Give the kids extra kisses for daddy. Tell them I love them and I miss them."

"I will. I do love you Leo McGarry." Her voice caught and CJ sucked in breath as she willed the tears not to fall. No more tears.

"I love you too, and I will call tomorrow when I can. Goodnight Claudia Jean."

"Wait. I don't want to hang up yet. I just…this is as close as we can be right now."

"I'll stay on the phone all night if you want me to baby. Talk to me, hum, just breathe…I'm not going anywhere."

***


End file.
